Dear Agony
by xXUsEdXx
Summary: -Takes place after Getting Over- To accept a reality of one situation is one thing. To encounter something that you've kept buried within your memory will destroy the peace you've made.
1. Chapter 1

The darkness of night was something that was not a cause for concern. It was a time to rest for the next day, something every citizen in Death City was currently doing. No one noticed a figure in the Hook Cemetery, digging up a grave. No one noticed that the grave being dug up belonged to a deceased, teenage weapon. No one noticed the figure breaking the casket into pieces and lifting the barely-decomposing body in their arms and disappear with it.

No one realized that disturbing events were about to transpire.

* * *

The heretic witch, Arachne, had a plan. The plan involved the body she had before her. Arachne knew-oh, she knew-that turning this child into a demon weapon would be simple. Quite simple. She had not sent Giriko to retrieve the child in the jaws of the enemy if the plan would not be an end to an ultimate goal. No, she was aware. The child was a human weapon; but, with Arachne's brilliance, she would be a demon weapon under her control.

"What use is this fucking brat going to be anyway?" asked Giriko. frowning. As loyal as he was to this witch, he had to wonder why she needed _this_ particular body.

Arachne looked to him coolly, obviously not enjoying her motives being questioned. "She's close to those children you've fought before, Giriko. In a way, she'll be a weakness for them; they will not be willing to harm her," she murmured.

"What makes you so sure she'll stay on our side?"

"You need not ask me such a thing."

Giriko crossed his arms. He wasn't at all keen on digging up anyone-especially some dead kid who may or may not be loyal to Arachne. He had orders, though, and Arachne can very well rip him a new one if she wanted.

"Giriko." Arachne had returned her attention to the now-unconscious child, whose chest rose and fell with even breaths. "When she awakes, I will need you to teach her about her new power."

"You need me to _babysit_?" Giriko practically spit out the word. Of all the things he's been ordered to do-

"I do not like your tone," whispered Arachne stonily. "You _will_ show her how."

"Yes, ma'am." Yeah, he was _so_ not getting on her bad side. "When will this kid be up and walking anyway?"

Almost as if on cue, the girl's eyes fluttered for the briefest second. Her fingers were curling and uncurling.

"It won't be long now," Arachne mumured as the girl's eyes fluttered once more before slowly opening.

She sat up, blinked, and looked around, her eyes landing on Giriko first before, ever so slowly, shifting to look at Arachne. She didn't speak right then, but she seemed to know that something was going to traspire, yet unsure of what.

Arachne smiled for only the briefest of seconds. "Welcome home."


	2. Bittersweet

_Hello, I have returned with a vengeance! This is the next part of my Soul Eater shots that have been floating around in my brain. I've had an intense discusses with my friend about this fic and the events that will transpire within it. You won't be disappointed. But, if you expect a happy ending involving the two main starts of my last two shots, Soul and Anais, well-you mighta came to the very wrong place._

_F.Y.I, the chapter titles will be inspired by songs that I hear that somehow fit with the fic as it progresses with an opening lyric and an ending lyric. So enjoy~!_

* * *

_~This bruising chain I've carried is the pain that I am marrying today~_

Many months before, the DMWA had two students leave their midst-one, who refused to wield another weapon, and one who was killed on a mission. Now, the incident had become a distant memory and lives resumed at their usual pace.

However, for Soul and Maka, those memories remained a smidge fresh. Maka, though, pushed ahead of the grief, trying to keep away of the memory. Soul was not as lucky in that account, for both of them were with two of those former students for one, final time. Even sitting in his room thinking about the circumstances, Soul could remember sharply how he knew the two as though it were yesterday.

Tasha Ortiz and Anais Orelli. Tasha was the meister, a somewhat caustic young girl. She wasn't one to take much bullshit for anything and was often very outspoken. Her weapon partner Anais, on the other hand, had kept more to herself at first, but could get just as riled as Tasha if provoked. The two transferred to the DWMA roughly a year ago, and settled well-until that mission.

Maka, Soul, Tasha and Anais had gone a mission and were not prepared to encounter a witch. They were hopelessly outmatched, even though they all fought together. Anais had either sensed they were going to lose or sensed that a sacrifice was necessary, because she had intercepted an attack meant for Soul and Maka and told all three of her comrades to escape. Soul remembered, with a sharp pang in his chest-was it regret?-that he refused, knowing she couldn't handle the witch on her own. But Anais was ruthlessly direct in her final hour, reminding Soul of the goal he had set with Maka: to become the best Death Scythe.

As soon as Soul, Tasha, and Maka escaped, they immediately told Lord Death what had happened. Anais's body was retrieved from the battle, bloodied, and no longer as lively as they all knew her to be. Shortly after, nearly everyone who knew Anais was at her funeral and Tasha had left the academy...

Mentally slapping himself, Soul threw himself onto his back on his bed. He knew better than to dwell; that's what had kept him from Anais's grave after the funeral, that earned him a brutal reality check from Tasha. "Stupid," he muttered to himself. "This isn't the time to be thinking about echoes."

* * *

The classroom was a-buzzing once Soul and Maka walked in. Normally, it was always buzzing with conversation, but the air was more nervous, not at all optimistic over some carefree thing.

Walking toward their friends, Maka spoke. "What's going on?"

"You didn't hear yet?" Black Star asked, looking serious-which was rare, coming from the showoff.

"Hear what?"

"A grave got dug up. The body's gone."

"No way," Soul said. "Must be another zombie, don't you think? Like how Stein did with Sid-sensei?"

"We would've heard rumors of a zombie attacking anyone by now," replied Kid. "Might be a grave robber."

"They sure picked an interesting grave to rob," Liz mumbled as Patty was amusing herself by drawing a giraffe. Crona, though, remained silent; he wasn't exactly sure what was going on and fidgeted nervously.

"What do you mean, Liz?" Maka gave the eldest twin pistol a questioning glance. "Who's grave was it?"

Tsubaki cast a sympathetic look to Soul and Maka before answering Maka in Liz's stead. "It was Anais's garve. Her body's gone and her casket's been smashed into tiny pieces. Everyone's nervous _because_ there's been no rumors of a zombie attacking anyone."

Maka gasped before looking to Soul, worry crossing her features. Soul felt a searing cold permeate within his body, squeezing his heart, gripping his limbs, clouding his thoughts.

He forced the words through his teeth. "Who'd be so..._insane _to take a dead weapon's body?"

Crona looked to Maka, bros furrowed. "Who's Anais, Maka? Is she a friend of yours?"

Maka remembered that Anais died before Crona's trial enrollment. "Yeah. She was all our friend. She died during a mission."

"Weren't you and her dating or something?" Black Star asked Soul.

"No," Soul answered. "We were only friends."

"What about Tasha? Surely she should know that Anais's body was stolen," Kid mumured.

"She left school ages ago, Kid, she won't know unless she heard it from any of us," Liz told her meister.

"Wouldn't it be weird if Stein turned Ana into a zombie?" chirped Patty. Nearly everyone flinched. As strange as the comment sounded, they wouldn't put it past Stein-however, it'd be a waste, since Stein had brought Anais's body from the battlefield anyway.

"I hope not," Tsubaki shuddered, "it was scary enough with Sid-sensei."

"I agree," sighed Maka.

"Whatever the case, whomever took Anais Orelli's body must have a plan," said Kid. "My father would probably tell all of us not to take chances if she were to be revived for an evil purpose-"

"Anais isn't evil," snapped Soul defensively, before realizing how his tone was. _Shit_. He was getting too emotional, losing his cool, just like before. He chided himself before, and while everyone knew-even he knew-that now is not the moment to be thinking about a ghost.

* * *

Not even a few hours later, Soul, Maka, and Crona were on a mission. Their last mission involved witnessing Arachne's revival during their fight with Giriko. Now, with the Kishin's revival as well as Arachnophobia, the three were investigating rumored movements of Arachnophobia, walking into a wooded area.

"W-What'll happen if the rumors are true?" asked Crona nervously. He practically had a panic attack when he saw Arachne last time, per the heretic witch being related to the serpentine Medusa.

Maka looked to Crona, smiling to reassure him. "Then we'll have information for the academy in order to fight back. That's why we have to do this."

Soul nodded in agreement, supporting Maka's endeavor to calm Crona's nervousness. "Don't sweat it. There's probably a chance that the rumors are just rumors."

Crona nodded and Ragnarok sprouted from his back. "Don't be such a baby, Crona!" he exclaimed, bopping his host around the head. "If we have to fight a battle like last time, I can take 'em!"

"You think so, do you?" came a voice so familiar, it caused all three of them to look around wildly before chancing a glance up a large oak's trunk.

On a branch stood Giriko, smirking viciously; beside him, a hooded figure sat, silent, their face hidden.

"You!" Maka exclaimed, feeling rage rising within her. Inside, she wanted another go with asshole for their last fight, to beat him down into a quivering mess.

"Yeah, me, so fucking what?" Giriko responded, eyes crazed with bloodlust. "I'm glad to get another crack for your fucking heads. But, someone here wanted to see one o' you brats." He looked to the hooded figure beside him, smirk deepening, teeth bared.

"Who is that, anyway?!" Soul snapped, knowing full well that if Giriko brought help, he, Crona, and Maka may as well be screwed.

The figure lifted a hand to the hood and pushed it back. Waves of pink hair fell around the shoulders and brown eyes brightened at the sight of him.

Maka pushed her fist into her mouth to stem a gasp; Crona's eyes darted between the figure and his two comrades; Soul felt that cold feeling from before invading him, his blood chilled as he stood, rooted to the spot.

Anais Orelli beamed at him, not looking as though a day had gone by since her death. "Finally!" she said, laughter in her voice, putting her hands together. "What took you so long to come and see me, Soul?"

_~And what I taste is bittersweet~_


	3. The Howling

_~I feel them getting closer~_

"It can't be," gasped Maka, her eyes wide with shock-and Soul can only agree.

But there she was, Anais Orelli, looking at them from her perch. It was as though she never died, but something was rattling himself and Maka deep in their cores. It was Anais; but, it felt as if she _wasn't_.

Anais's beaming expression fell only slightly as she raised a hand to her chest. "What's wrong, Soul? Don't you remember me?" she asked.

He had to force himself to breathe, to speak, but speak carefully. Anais was apparently on the same side as the bastard Giriko; and Soul recalled how strong a weapon Anais was. "Yeah. I remember."

She clapped her hands. "I'm glad! Mama said it might be a shock for you to see me after I was asleep for so long!"

"Mama?" Maka asked in disbelief and Anais looked to her. Her eyes became blank, emotionless.

"Who are you...?" she whispered.

"Y-You don't remember?" Maka pointed to herself. "It's me-Maka. We were friends too."

"Maka?" Anais tilted her head. "I don't remember anyone by the name. But you," she looked to Crona, "oh, I know you. Mother told me all about Medusa keeping you."

"W-Who told you t-that?" Crona stammered. "H-How d-do you know that?"

Anais smiled again. "We're cousins, aren't we? Our mothers are witches."

"Let's stop with the talking, jailbait," Giriko shot to Anais. "Arachne gives you free reign, but these brats are our fucking enemies."

"I guess...you're right, Giriko-san," replied Anais. "I don't particularly care what happens to the other two; kill them, if you like. But don't hurt Soul. We can take him with us."

Soul got the feeling of throwing up. Anais would never have anyone hurt Maka or any meister, as her code as a weapon was similar to his. There was no way this was the same person!

"You can't go making claims like that without going through the owner first!" Maka snapped at Anais. Anais glared toward Maka.

"Oh? Then maybe once you're dead, there'll be no need to go through you," she replied before looking to Giriko. "Go ahead."

With a raucous laugh, Giriko lunged. Soul, upon instinct, transformed into his scythe form and Maka grabbed him to block Giriko's chain from shearing off her face. Crona, with Ragnarok at hand, moved to attack Giriko while Maka held steady, but with a flash, he was pushed back. Anais's arm was transformed into her scythe form. She clicked her tongue.

"Tut tut...you should know better than to try and cheat with a swing like _that_," she murmured coldly before lunging and Crona.

"Crona!" Maka called, alarm and worry in her voice.

"Maka, you need to focus!" Soul chided his partner. _We both need to focus_, he thought to himself.

"I agree. The fun's in front of you!" Giriko swung his leg to aim chain once again near Maka's face. Maka deflected, jumping back to have Crona and Anais within her line of sight. Crona was forced on the defensive while Anais, using her transformed arm, kept attacking, giving him no time nor space to even try fighting back. While trying to remain focused on the attacking Giriko, Maka used her Soul Perception to detect Anais's wavelength as well as to see if the soul she remembered detecting was the same one-

-only to gasp in shock.

Anais's soul was once a very light blue when she was alive and attending the academy. Now...now, it was a deep, dark crimson. That can't be...!

"Maka!" Soul's voice brought Maka from her revere, right as Giriko aimed to slice both her and Soul in half. She dodged, moving to the side, the chain barely missing her leg.

"_Ahhh_," A moan of pain reached both Soul and Maka's ears, followed by a hollow laugh.

_Crona! _Maka turned, expecting Crona to be injured, but instead, it was Anais who was bleeding from her abdomen. Her arm had reverted back to normal and her palm was pressed against the flow of blood, so copious it looked black. She was laughing, her head tilted over to one side, her pink hair framing her face. "Itty bitty Crona knows how to wield that Demon Sword after all. _Lovely._"

"Don't turn your back on the enemy, girl!" Giriko roared, ready to end a distracted Maka. Soul reverted to his human form to shield Maka's body from Giriko's chain-

-and Anais had lunged, arm transformed again to push Giriko back.

Giriko's face was livid, like he'd want nothing to do than to rip the girl into a million of blood-soaked pieces. "You little bitch, what are you-"

"Didn't I say to not hurt Soul? You know better, Giriko-san; Mother said she would not like to have my being displeased." Anais's voice was cold as she stood to her full height, reverted her arm back, blood dripping steadily from her wound. It seemed she had hit a nerve because Giriko flinched. Even so, just hearing her voice be so cold like this...it sent visible shivers down Soul's spine, caused Maka to pale, and Crona flinched as if the girl was a living nightmare.

_She's different from my memory._

Anais sighed, before looking back. "We'll leave. For now." She smiled. "Bye-bye, Soul. We'll be seeing each other again soon."

She turned and walked forward, toward Giriko, and past him. With a bitter curse, Giriko turned the same direction as Anais and they both sped off.

Once they left, Maka fell to her knees, shuddering. Soul had his arms around his meister, right as Crona came to her other side. The silence that hung in the air only made them realize what had just occured was not a dream.

* * *

"Orelli-san?" Lord Death's tone was grave. Once Maka had overcome the shock and stood, she, Soul, and Crona returned to the academy and went immediately to the Death Room to tell Lord Death what had happened. Lord Death was contemplating for a moment before speaking again. "Are you sure it was Orelli-san? I realize her grave had been dug up not too long ago, but her body would have been severely decomposed by now."

"Explain to us why she didn't look anything like a zombie and why she was calling Arachne _mother_," Soul snapped, his emotions flaring from his control. One of his good friends had just been revived and used as a puppet; the hell he'd let that continue!

"Did she tell you Arachne revived her?" asked Lord Death.

"She may as well have," Maka murmured. "She was fighting against us." They didn't mention Anais remembering Soul and not Maka nor Crona.

"It seems," Lord Death said slowly, "that Anais Orelli's loyalty lies with Arachne now. By that fact alone, we can't take any chances. If you encounter her again on any mission, don't let your emotions cloud your judgement."

"Are you saying we'll have to kill her?" asked Soul through clenched teeth.

"We'll have no choice. I understand you and Orelli-san had gotten particularly close, Soul, but she is not your friend anymore. She is no longer the Orelli-san you knew."

Soul had never felt such rage before in his life. He turned and began to storm off.

"Soul!" Maka exclaimed, but Soul paid no heed and continued to storm off.

* * *

Soul knocked on the door once to the little apartment. Not a second passed before the door opened, revealing a dark-haired girl. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Soul?"

"Hey, Tasha," Soul greeted. "Can I, uh.."

"Yeah. Yeah, of course, come in." Tasha stepped aside to let him enter the place that not only Tasha lived, but where Anais once lived. In the corner, a small shrine was set up, with a photo of Anais in the middle. Near the photograph was a few of Anais's possessions: a mesh bracelet she seldom wore since entering the academy, a locket she always wore before she died, and a red hair ribbon that she wore on special occassions. Soul felt his throat constrict.

"You didn't just come by for a friendly chat, did you, Soul?" Tasha asked softly.

"No. No I didn't." Soul turned to look at the former meister. "Anais is alive."

Tasha didn't gasp like he expected. "She's...out there, somewhere?"

"You don't sound surprised."

"I've felt her wavelength. Being my weapon and practically my sister...yeah, I had a feeling."

He could understand that. Tasha's eyes closed briefly. "Does she remember anything?" she asked.

_"Who are you?"_ Anais had asked that of Maka, like they truly had never met. "I'm...not sure what she remembers," he answered.

"But you were forced to remember. Right?"

Oh, he remembered. He was never going to forget. How could he? He had taken Maka and Tasha back to the academy, leaving Anais to fight alone, breaking his promise to not let her do anything stupid. And what she'd done was beyond stupid!

Deep down though, he realized he'd have done the very same thing.

"We can't all forget. Well, those of us who were there," Soul said. "I think she's being used."

"Possible," Tasha said simply.

"What now? Lord Death told us if we see her again, we've got to..." He couldn't say it.

"Soul," Tasha sighed. "After Ana died, I made my peace. It seems, though, that part of her didn't want to die. How else would she be alive, even if it was by a witch's influence?"

Soul wasn't sure if Tasha was onto something, but he knew what she meant by making peace. He thought he had.

But, it seems, that the deepest part of him realized that he really hadn't.

_~All we are is fading away~_


End file.
